Mekrnesota



F. LERCH.

MECHANICAL S HOVEL.

APPLICATION man MAR.'20.1917.

Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

ATTORNEY.

F. LERCH.

MECHANICAL SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1,307,448, Patented June 24, 1919,.

A TTORNEY.

FRED LERCHQ EVIRGINIA, m

".f s ileesiff To all whom it may concern Be it known=that L'JFREDTLERCI-I, a citizen of: the 'United States, residing at Vir 'inia, inthecounty of St. Louis and State of. 1n-

nesota, haveinvented certain'new and usefull-Improvements in Mechanical Shovels, of whichthe following is a specification, reference beingv had therein to the accompanygvd awi g- 1 -;This-invention consists of certain new and useful improvements in: mechanical shovels and 7 relates. particularly jto that, class of shovel used in connection with tunneling machines for work in underground mining, such;as for iron ore, coal, andthelike.

In suclrmining, the questi'omjof space-,in

which: to work is a. very essential; factor,

and the object of fmy present-invention is to provide a machine, of this character esvpecially adapted to such restricted working :Anotherpbject, is 'to gprovidea shovel of this character especially designed for quick and positive action, and one havin the maximumrange of action in the llmited working quarters referred to.

.A'nothermbject is simplicity. of operation and construction, and I I Other objects. will appear in the further description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of thisflapplicationyand in whichglike referencecharacters indicate like parts:

1 Figure- 1 is a side elevation of my im:

' proved mechanical shovel, mounted upon a vehicle g I ,7 I Fig 2, is a front; end elevation with the shovel, in its uppermost-"position,

, Fig. 31is a top plan viewof Fig. 1.,

:Fig. 4;is a fragmental vertical-sectional view of a modified form of dipper armsupport, and Fig. 5 s a side elevation of Fig.4,

Asis well known inthe art, the officeof such a machine is to work upon the face of the tunneland ,convey the mined'material ormuck to a tram-car cream in the rear of the machine, the machine itself being mounted upon a wheeled vehicle or chassis.

I amaware'that machines of this character have heretofore been employed, for

" a like purpose, they being usually pivotally mounted upon a carriage anddesigned to discharge the mined material from directly overhead with. respect to the machine; therefore this overhead discharge feature ,MEoHZinIcALsHovEn. p f Specification Letters Patent. Patented J 24, 1919. ApplicationfiledMarch 20,1917. 4 Seria1No.155,994. I

and that of being niountediupnn table on a carriage doesnotconstitute ,a novelpart of my invention, as neither does the peculiar manner of applying a motor to the device. 3

1,. represents the mounted upon wheels 2 which are ofja like gage to that of the. regular tram track and travels thereupon. 3 represents ;the platform upon which the shovel and its coopbody of the carriage crating mechanism: is supported alidwhich platform ispivotally imounted in. any 4. desired mamier, upon the bodyl of" the carriage, thus acting as la sort-of turntable and maybe made mechanically or manually operative in any desired manner;

Upon either side of the platform 3 -is rigidlyfixecl an ;upright slightlytruncated A- frame 4, they being suitablyv transversely braced in any desired mannerto form ;a

strong rigid supporting frame, and I prefer to construct these ,A-frames chiefly of small channel bar iron. Mounted within the upper truncated ends of the A-frames, are two parallel transverse shafts.5 -and 6 spaced apart and each loosely carrying in the center thereof,- a, deep flanged sheave 7, the latter being alinecl with veach other,

and designed to alternately engagefthe dipper hoisting line 8.

Within the truncatedend of each lever arm 10 eachof which is pivotally ati tached atits free end, as at 11, to one of the upwardly arched dipper sticks orarms 12, the latter in turn rigidlysupporting intermediate theirends as at 13, the scoopshaped dipper 14. Thedipper 14 is formed with a flat bottom, right angledsides, and slightly transversely convexed, scoop-shaped end, the cutting edge of which; isrou'nded wa y I The dipper .IQPQ'fi which attached centrally to the uppermostedge of the flat bottom. of the dipper 14 leads over one of and between the sheaves '.7-- 7 and to a suitable winding drum operated and controlled in any desired manner. v

To the legs of each A-frame and near'the lower ends thereof fixeda quadrant member 19, having a'fslot QQ therein through which.- projectsga ,guidingbolt 21 attached to the pendulum f arm 10 and which acts as a' latera1 guidingmember for "said am J is e w ss l de mnes io is 'by the reciprocation of the arms.

attached as at 15 to each pendulum arm one side of a. sprocket chain 22 which is endless and passes around a sprocket wheel '23 at the foot of each leg of the A-fraine. To compensate for the raising and lowering of the ends of the arms 10 in relation to the chain 22 as they swing back and forth, a vertical slot is formed in the arm through which the attaching bolt 15 extends. thus preventing abnormal tension upon the chain Each tralisveisepair of these sprockets is fixed to a cross 'sh'aft'Q L journaled in the feet of the A-frames and one or both of which'shafts may be directly connected to the driving mechanism, not shown. I have illustrated a spur gear '25 upon one of the shafts for this purpose and any suitable motive power may be employed;

By this attachment the free ends of the pendulum arms may be swung from one side to the other of the 'A frames, simultaneously or held at any desired point therebetween during the manipulation of the shovel.

Adjacent the foot of the front leg of each A-frame 4 is fixed a small angle plate bracket, 16, in which is mounted a transverse shaft or rod 17 Upon this rod is pivotally supported the inverted U-shaped member 18 which has rigidly fixed to the center thereof an arm '37, carrying in the outer bifurcated fabricated terminus 38 an elongated sheave or roller 39.

The purpose of the line brace thus formed is to produce a 'more direct upward draft upon the dipper and the brace being pivotally supported upon the machine is made to travel with the dipper in the following man- I101:

A de )endin'g extension 40 is formed upon each 0 the shaft engaging legs of the U- shaped member and carry fixed in their free ends a transverse shaft or rod 41 which is sufiiciei' tly long to have its ends engaged by the under side of the dipper arms 12 and which engagement, as is evident, controls the throw of the line brace at sudh times as when the line 8 bears upon the roller 39 in the brace. The angle of the depending extension 40 to the brace is such as will prevent the brace descending below an angle of 455 degrees to the base thereof.

Counter weights 42 are attached in any dea sired manner to the legs ofthe "U-shaped member 18 an'd which weights tend normally to keepthe brace "hack against the front of the A-frames and keep it from falling forward when the di per arms are fre -from engagement with ti sha'it 41, as for -example, when discharging itsburden.

Any desired 'form of spinal 'or' other spring or springs such as illustrated at 31 and attaehed' to 'th'e'bufi'er, may be employedfor this purpose inlieu o'f the'counter weights,

if preferred. The automatic positioning of the brace may be accomplished in any desired if preferred.

.Thus it will be seen that when the dipper is lowered forward to engage the material being shoveled, the arms 12 will contact the ends of the shaft 41, counteract the influence of the counter weights t2 and result in carrying the line brace along after the dipper and cause it to assume a position similar to that shown in Fig. 1, which causes the line 8 to feed over the roller 39. When the dipper is thrown up over the A frames, the combined influence of the line, the dipper and the counter weights or any one of them independently will throw the line trace back to its ill-active position against the A-frames.

N ow assuming the dipper line 8 being" led to a suitable'drun'i 26 and controllable there-- from, it is evident that any desired position of the dipper within or between'the various arcuate 'patlh's indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1, may be readily assumed, and 'coeperativ'e action of the pendulum arms with the hoisting line will result in near'hnman eifect upon the shovel as it seems possible to produce by mechanical means.

By this means the dipperhas a maximum horizontal throw offapproximately the length of the carriage from each end thereof which provides all the scopenecessary for proper shoveling and loading of the tram cars.-

As a means for q'u'ickening *the action of the shovel and at the same time lesseningthe throw thereof, 1 provide a buffer member comprisin the upright laterally Ufiset members 27-2 pivoted as at 28fto the two rear legs of the A-fr'aines and the crossbar 29 rigidly fixed thereto. This heifer frame is held normally against the bum er'bar 30 by suitable ti-a'ctive s iral "or other springs 3l31 attached at one 'end to the buffer frame and at the other to the respective A-frames by being hooked over suitable'pro jec'tmg pins '50 upon the inside of the A- frames and of whichthere be a number to admit of longitudinal adjustment of the spnngs 31. The upper free ends of the members 27 27 extend within the ath of the protruding ends of the bufi'er'cleat '32 fixed to the open-end of the fiat bottom of the dipper when it approaches the point of discharge.

When t'hus suddenly engaged by the di per the buffer will yield with it for a Short distanca but the shook having start d the load in the dipper, by it momentum, ad- Vance of the latter, the traetive' 'ehfeot off the springs 3fi-3i will tend to stop the dipper and free it entirely from its load. be; i'ng'd'one, draft upon the di per line '8 "will -i'iioklyi start same on its return trip, thus shortenin the travel ef'tlhe di-Iiperand' increasing t 'e'etii'ciency ofthe' device.

It is to be understood that a slow steady pull-upon the dipper rope would not permit the dipper to pass the central point of support above the pivot 9. The momentum of the'shovel will normally assist in carrying it over this, point when traveling in either direction and together with the ability to shift quickly thepivotal point 11 of support at the ends of'the pendulum arms and pass it back of the center of gravity of the load in the dipper will effectually assist in passing this-point'of extreme height and that, when desired,"'with considerable force. As the dipper passes the point of highest travel above referred'to, the rope 8 will shift from one sheave 7 to the other as is evident'and the same direction of pull on the same rope serve to operate the dipper in either direction alternately.

It is evident that the buffer may be dispensed with entirely if preferred and in which event, the dipper may be passed entirely'over. the car being loaded and the bufffer cleat 32 on the dipperallowed to strike the edges of the car to effect a clean unloadingof the dipper, the dipper arms passing upon" either side of the car.

I In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a modified form of support for the carriage end of the dipper arms 12 which consist of grooved wheels'33 operating between the webs of two vertically opposed T-tracks 3434:, a pair of which being fixed longitudinallv each side of the platform 3. These grooved wheels are fitted witha wrist pin 35 upon which the ends of the 'dipper arms are pivoted and the opposite sideof the wheel has a pin 36 to which the sprocket chain 22 is attached and which chain imparts horizontal reciprocating motion to the wheels 33, thereby afl'ording substantially the same movement of the inner end of the dipper arms 'as that of the pendulum arm connection, though less graceful or effective, as the travel is entirely horizontal, a

In the use of such machines it is customary to provide suitable means for,quickly attaching the carriage upon which the machine is mounted to the tram track and for such purpose I have illustrated at 36 a convenient hand operated gripping means, but

which does not constitute a novel part of,

my present invention.

The dipper arms 1-212 are arched as illustrated to prevent the same engaging the forward corners of the carriage platform, when swinging to one side and shoveling abnormally deep. It will also be seen that when the pendulum arms 1010 are upon either side of a central vertical position, the pivotal point 11 will be proportionately elevated, thus further assisting in deep digging without engaging the corners of the carriage and presenting the cutting lip of that the same may be of less width if found more desirable and various other modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have devised a mechanical shovel having novel action and one admirably adapted to the work intended. The action of a single line capable of throwing the dipper in either direction together with the automatic changing of the direction of draft of the line at the time of greatest stress thereupon and the arched dipper arms to increase the scope of action, assist materially in producing such desired results.

.I-Iaving thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a suitable portable support, an upstanding A-frame fixed to either side of the support and centrally thereof, a depending arm pivoted in the apex of each frame. a dipper stick pivoted to the free end of each arm and extending beyond the end of the platform. a dipper carried intermediate the free e ds of the sticks, a controlling line leading from the dipper to a point intermediate the apexes of the A-frames for raisi g and lowering the dipper to or from either side of the A-frames and means for simultaneously controlling the free ends of the arms for extendine the dipper sticks longitudinally and for shifting the central support of the dipper for throwing it to one side or the other of the apexes of the A-fraines, as the dipper is manipu lated thereover.

2. In combination. a suitable portable support, a dipper pivotally carried by the support and operating thereover. a single line for raising and lowering the dipper upon either side of the support, means for automatically changing the direction of draft of said line and means for reciprocating the point of pivotal support of the dipper.

3. The combination with a suitable support of depending pendulum-like arms pivotally mounted in the upper end of the support and adjustable to either side of a vertical line with said pivotal point, dipper sticks pivotally attached to the free ends of the arms, a dipper rigidly fixed intermediate of the opposite ends of the sticks, a single line attached to the dipper and leadin through the upper end of the support and means adjacent the free end of the pendulum-like arms for operating same.

4. A shoveling device of the class described, comprising a support consisting of two spaced A-shaped frames, depending penduluin-like arr'ns -pivotally mounted in the upper end 'of theframes and adjustable to either side of a vertical line with said pivota'l point, dipper sticks pivotally attached to-the free ends of the arms, a dipper rigidly fixed intermediate of the opposite ends of the sticks, means for raising and lowering the dipper over the support, andmeans for swinging the free ends of the pendulum arms.

5. The combination with a structure as described in claim 4, ofthe means for operating the free end of the pendulum-like arms being mounted within the base of the A frames and an arcuate slotted guide-way to prevent lateral movement of the arms.

(3. The combination with a structureas described in claim 4, of two oppositely'disposed sheaves journaled within. the upper end of thenshaped frames and means: for raising and lowering the dipper comprising a single line operative intermediatepf the two sheaves whereby the dipper may .be operated upon either side of the pivotal pointof the endulum-like arms.

7 A mechanical howling-device of the class described including a suitafbles ipport consisting of two substantially A-shaped fra'1nes,'onc upon each side of a platforin, two parallel cross shafts journaled in the apexes of the A-fm Opposed sheaves loosely mounted upon the shafts, depending pendulum-like arms )ivo'tally mounted in the upper end of the frames, and adjustable to either side of a vertical line with said pivotal point, dipper sticks pivotally attached to the free ends of the arms, a dipper carried by the free ends of the sticks, a sheave-carrying arm pivotally mounted centrally of and in the base of the A-frames, a line for raising and lowering the dipper leading over the sheave in said last mentioned arm and over one and intermediate of the two first mentioned sheaves, .ii'neans for swinging the free ends of. the pendulum arms for crowding the dipper to its work and assisting in discharging. same, a Cress bar transverse one end of the A-frame supthe urp se debated port and fixed upon the inclined edges of ing a suitable pivotal support, a dipper pivotally carriedby; the support and operated thereover and a single line for raising and lowering the dipper upon either side of the support, ;of means controlled by the mechanism which: operates the dipper for automatically changing the direction of draft of said line. f I

9. The combination with" a mechanical shovel comprising a vertically disposed pivoted support, depending arms pivoted on the outside of the upper portion of the support, a dipper pivotally carried upon the free e'nds'of t earms and operative over the support and means foroperating the dipper, of means for recip'rocatintlie free ends of the arms independently o the other operating' he ns; 10. The cdmbinaubh with a structure as described in claim 4'. of the'dipper sticks arched 'upwardly,. su 'staiitially' as and for 11. The canflihiation'with a mansion shovel of the character described, comprising a suitable upright support, one piece dipper arms pivotally and reciprocally carried by the sup ort and a dipper carried on the freeeiids o the arms and operative over the support, of a single operatin' 'li'ne leading through the upper end of t e support and operating the dipper and its arms over the support,

. In testimony whereof I hereunto afli'x my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED La sen.

Giro. Sriions, S. est. Smvnns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tents each, '63} addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, new 

